FREEPORT — Two democratic politicians used a visit to the plywood stage at “Bainport” today to support Sensata employees’ battle to keep their jobs from moving overseas.

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin and Cheri Bustos, challenger for the Illinois 17th District seat in the U.S. House, spoke to workers and supporters at the protest camp in Freeport this morning.

“This should not be the future of manufacturing jobs in the United States,” said Durbin. “We can do better.”

By December, Sensata will have moved its production of automotive sensors to China, slashing 170 jobs in Freeport. Protests over the cuts have become national news in recent weeks because the company is owned by Bain Capital, of which Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is former CEO.

“All they ask for is a chance,” said Durbin. “The same chance my parents had, the same chance I want for my kids, for the American dream. ... That’s all they were looking for and instead what we have are people making decisions at the highest levels of corporate America which are endangering the opportunity to create jobs and keep jobs right here in this country. Sensata is case number one. It tells the story clearly.”

Protestors have attempted to address Romney for months in the hopes of saving their jobs. Opponents insist that Romney has nothing to do with the job losses since he left Bain more than a decade ago.

“This is what democracy is all about,” Bustos told the workers. “What I respect so much about all of the Sensata workers is the fact that you might not be able to save these 170 jobs ... but you’re working hard to make sure this doesn’t keep happening, and I admire you for that.”